This invention relates to a wind-drag type exercise rowing unit, more particularly to a rowing unit in which the rowing action can be converted into the rotation of a wind-drag type flywheel.
The improvement of this invention is directed to a wind-drag type exercise rowing unit which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,188, issued to Dreissigacker et al on Aug. 2, 1983. This patent teaches a wind-drag type flywheel which has a plurality of fan-type blades When the flywheel rotates, the blades encounter air resistance which tends to decelerate the flywheel, thereby serving as a braking unit. This rowing unit suffers from the following disadvantages: (1) Because a chain extends through a frame by means of chain guides, the wear between the chain and the frame creates much noise when the chain is moved. (2) Because the rowing action of the operator results in instant impulse between the chain and a sprocket which is coupled with the flywheel, the lifetime of the chain is reduced and the noise incurred by the action between the chain and the sprocket is increased.